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Moving On Up
It's been three weeks since Erica broke up with Ethan, yet whatever she does, she just can't stop thinking about him. Even though she initiated the break-up, she feels a double loss in that he was both her lover and best friend. She has to figure out how to move on without him. On the sexual front, she seems to be running into more men to whom she is attracted, some who look like Ethan. With some, she even contemplates having sex. And she runs into old boyfriend Ryan, with whom she thinks she can have a platonic relationship - the male friend part - now that she and Ethan are no longer together. The therapy group have their own opinions, despite Erica initially not believing she needs their help. She comes to the realization that she does need help to figure out if leaving Ethan was the right thing to do. Dr. Tom thinks there is one person in Erica's past who knows exactly what Erica is going through and may be able to help. Meanwhile, Samantha starts a new phase in her life, while Barb is at the end of one. Full Plot Erica and Julianne are at a party at Goblins celebrating the completed renovations. Erica thinks she sees Ethan from behind, but it's not Ethan and she realizes she's not OK. Ivan gives her a heart mending elixir and relates how he and Dave broke up once, it was the worst week. Voiceover: "They say losing a lover is hard. Losing a friend is harder, and losing both is hardest of all." Erica calls Ethan from a payphone, and when she hears his voice, hangs up. Voiceover: "How do you move on when there is a hole in your life that nothing can fill?" Erica goes to the gym to work out, and meets Chris who is manning the juice bar. Judith joins her and ogles Chris, hinting she should hook up with him. Erica has been sad for three weeks and says she's starting to annoy herself. Norm breaks up with Barb over the phone, Barb is hurt he can't handle news she gave him and says next time he gets on Lava Life, ask for an MRI. Sam comes in and notices something is wrong, but Barb tells her she is OK. Sam is about to go for a job interview after returning from London. Sam leaves and Barb bursts into tears. At the gym Erica runs into Ryan (Josh's friend) and catches up with Erica. She tells him she's starting her own publishing company, their office is in back of Goblins, and she and Ethan broke up. Sam walks into the hospital and gets wet paint on her shoes. A janitor gives her a hand, cleans her shoes, is surprised to learn she's a surgeon, and gives her directions to her interview. As Julianne and Erica drive into the Goblins parking lot, they learn they were approved for a line of credit and can get office furniture and supplies. Julianne gives Erica documents to sign, and she pulls out a pen to sign - the same one Ethan gave her that says "You're the One" from the night of the launch. She's upset that she thinks she's getting over him, something reminds her of him and she's starting from square one. Erica is surprised to see Ryan waiting at Goblins; he came to apologize about their earlier awkward interaction. Erica suggests grabbing dinner to catch up, and Ryan agrees. She goes to the washroom, ends up in group therapy, and is confused as she thinks asking Ryan to dinner as a friend doesn't merit a session. The group has differing opinions as to what she should do, and Adam thinks she should just jump someone's bones and get it over with. Erica: Ethan was my best friend and my boyfriend, the person I would talk to, who understood me. I broke my own heart, and his. I have to live with that. Adam is right, this isn't the time, I have to focus on moving forward. Dr. Tom muses perhaps he called everyone in prematurely. Erica and Ryan are having dinner, and at the end they agree they should do it again. Ryan is heading to Bogota for work, and Erica doesn't have any trips planned, just work. Ryan asks if she enjoys being single, and what happened with Ethan. He learns she had only broken up three weeks earlier. Erica notices Ryan is uncomfortable and asks if she did something wrong. He says no, but says this was a mistake for both of them. He realizes he's not a friend, he's a distraction. Erica admits she's a little lost, and Ryan says sorry, good to see you, but we're not ready for this. They go their separate ways. Erica grabs her own cab and goes to where Ethan is sacking out on a friend's couch. Michael: Ethan doesn't want to see you. Erica says the silence is not working for her, and Michael says it's not about you, it's about him. Right now he's in hell and you put him there. Leave him alone, that's what he needs. She's restless in bed, gets up, and goes to the gym at 11 pm. Chris is closing up the juice bar. She tells him her brain won't stop, the same thoughts keep playing over and over. Chris: You need to get out of your brain and into your body. She and Chris are making out in the locker room but Erica decides this isn't right for her and tries to leave. She ends up in group therapy, and everyone is in their pajamas. Erica: I don't even recognize myself, I'm spinning out of control. Darryl: You went to see Ethan. Erica: which was stupid. Adam: Why'd you do it? Erica: Closure, to move on. I feel like I'm running aorund in circles, I'm not sure why it's not getting better. What if I made a mistake? I was sure breaking up was the right thing. Dr. Tom can think of one person who understands her and sends her back to a party she threw for Claire. It's clear Claire doesn't want to be at the party and isn't happy with Erica. There is a knock at the door, and it's Dr. Tom dressed as a policeman, telling them there were complaints about the noise. He and Erica meet in the hallway to talk. Erica is astounded he's sent her back to talk to Claire. Dr. Tom: You just said no one understood you. You both loved Ethan, you both figured out it's not enough. Erica: They're different circumstances, I didn't cheat on Ethan. What is the point? Dr. Tom: Learning is finding out what you already know. - Richard Bach. Enjoy the party. She goes back in. At one point after an icy exchange, Erica says: Claire, I know we didn't get off to the best start, I want us to have a good time and put our bad feelings behind us. Claire doesn't think her throwing a party will negate years of tension. Jenny prompts the group to start a game of "I Never", which is about honesty. One of the partygoers said: "I have never had sex out in the open." Those who did had to 'fess up and drink a shot.. Another says: "I have never had a crush on Ethan Wakefield". Claire rolls her eyes and drinks, as she is marrying Ethan. Erica hesitates, then drinks as well. Claire is surprised and asks if Erica still has a crush on Ethan. Erica says no, I did once, but not anymore. Claire: Wow! This night just got really interesting. Later the women are at a dance club. Claire is on the phone with Ethan who is worried. Erica jokes you're safe with the drag queens, and Claire responds: are you kidding? That would stress him out even more. Erica mimics Ethan's tone of voice: Claire, this is out of my comfort zone. Claire admits Ethan is conservative, dependable, consistent, all the things she is not. She then apologizes, and says Erica was being honest with her earlier, but she wasn't honest with Erica. She admits she's been jealous of Erica for a long time, and now maybe she sees Erica was jealous as well. Erica: Yeah, I think I was. But not any more. Later when they're making the bed and flop down, they continue talking. Erica asks if Claire is excited for the wedding. Claire says she's not as excited as she'd like to be and attributes it to nerves. Claire: Marrying Ethan is the right thing to do. We've broken up three times. It never sticks. I love him and I want to make it work. Erica: Are you afraid it won't? Claire: I'm adventurous when it comes to everything - food, travel, sex. Ethan's more like the meat and potatoes kind of guy. Erica: Opposites attract but they also divide. Claire: We break up and we can't handle it. Erica: When it happens to you, it's agony. Claire: If this relationship isn't right for me, why is breaking up so painful? Relationships are hard and they need work. Claire thanks Erica for the party, and says she had a good time. Erica returns to the locker room, remembers she just left Chris, cringes, and leaves the gym. She's walking and sees Dr. Tom sitting on a bench. Erica: Ten years ago in Claire's shoes, I might have made the same mistake - marrying the wrong person out of fear. Fear of the pain, and how much it hurt to be without him. Dr. Tom: Breaking up even for the right reasons is painfully hard. Erica: It almost made me reconsider and I know we're not right. Dr. Tom: She thought she could avoid the pain, all she did was delay it. She had a difficult marriage and divorce instead of the one thing you have to do, which is nothing. Erica is disappointed: I'm running around like a crazy woman, seducing juice guys. Dr. Tom: No, it's not easy. You hurt, and you live with it, sit in it, suffer, until it stops. Until time takes it away. Barb is taking a pill when Sam comes in and tells her she got the job. Sam notices something is wrong, and Barb first says nothing, then divulges that she and Norm broke up. But she says go to the hospital, we'll talk later. The janitor is cleaning the floor and Sam walks in. She thanks him for being helpful, and lets him know she'll be around. He realizes she got the job, and tells her his name is Lenin. Erica drives up and drops off a box of Ethan's possessions, then leaves. Voiceover: "Sometimes, the only way to move forward is to stop moving, to stand still, and to decide that no matter what happens, no matter how much it hurts, you're exactly where you want to be." Category:Season 3 Episodes